//------------------------------// // The Magical Journal of Sunset Shimmer and Friends // Story: SAPR // by Scipio Smith //------------------------------// The Magical Journal of Sunset Shimmer & Friends Grogar? You met Grogar? He certainly said he was Grogar, and judging by the number of monsters running around in his catacombs, I could believe that it was him. Who else but the Father of Monsters could have been, well, father to a race of monsters? That’s amazing. And frightening. And relieving. But amazing because who would have guessed that after his defeat by Gusty the Great, Grogar would end up in your world, I mean the world of Remnant? Sunset smiled. You can call it my world if you want to. It is my world, really. I was born in Equestria, but I’ve made my home here. I’ve found my place here. Let’s be perfectly honest; this is where I’ll probably die, and probably soon, too. Do you have to talk like that? It’s the fate of a huntress, Twilight; it might not be pretty, but it was true even before I got involved with Professor Ozpin and his struggle against Salem. She thought about Benni Haven’s and all the photographs upon the wall, all those young huntsmen and huntresses posed around Fluffy the Beowolf, all those smiling faces; like Benni had said the first time Sunset walked through the door, those smiles didn’t last forever. And neither did the children who smiled those smiles. One might even say that she, Ruby, Pyrrha, and Jaune had been lucky to make it out okay from as many tough scrapes as they had. There was probably a world out there where they hadn’t been so lucky. And our work with Ozpin just made it even more likely. We’re in a risky line of work, Twilight, and if I ever pretended otherwise, that was just my ego talking. That, or I didn’t want to admit it to myself. I don’t know whether to praise your courage for sticking with it in a world where so many fates of death lie all around you or to think you’re foolish for it. Would you ever abandon your friends just because the going got tough? No. Of course not. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you. I’m not insulted. I’m just saying that just because something’s dangerous doesn’t mean it’s not worth fighting for. I know. Which I guess leaves me saying that you’re very brave. Not least because you faced down Grogar. A weakened Grogar. There was a moment of pause on the other end of the book. You know, it’s funny; when I first spoke to you, you never would have admitted something like that. Sunset chuckled, but very softly because Ruby was asleep. No, I suppose I wouldn’t. I Well, I for one am bound to say that I’m very disappointed in you, Sunset Shimmer; spilling the beans about Grogar to Twilight like that. Now what am I going to do for the big surprise? Sunset frowned. And who is this? Of course, we haven’t met yet, have we? My apologies, I would have butted in sooner, but The writing on the page abruptly stopped. Sorry about that, it’s Twilight again. That was just Discord. Sometimes, he gets bored, and when he gets bored, he finds ways to make sure that no one else is. Sunset blinked. Discord? You mean the statue in Princess Celestia’s garden? Turns out, it wasn’t actually a statue; he was always a being of pure chaos who was turned to stone a thousand years ago by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Still doesn’t explain how he’s writing in your journal. Well, after he broke free the first time, my friends and I were able to imprison him using the Elements of Harmony, but then Princess Celestia decided that it would be a good idea to try and reform him, which we did. Or at least, Fluttershy did. I can’t say that I or any of my other friends were much help in that regard. Then he betrayed us all to Tirek, but he regretted it very deeply very soon after, and since then, the only trouble we’ve had from him is occasional acts of mischief. Sunset frowned. And you honestly thought it was a good idea to let somebody like that run loose? Isn’t your team full of villains? That doesn’t mean I trust them. You trust Cinder, don’t you? Cinder was never that bad. It turns out that neither is Discord once you get to know him. Although I am a little confused as to what the big surprise that he mentioned was. What could it have had to do with Grogar? Actually, I’m not sure that I really want to know. You were about to say something? Was I? Yes, before Discord cut you off. Sunset thought about it for a moment. Oh, yes, I remember. I was going to say that I envy you. Not for the crown or the wings or any of the stupid stuff like that, but because you get to live in peace with the people who mean the most to you. You don’t have to worry that your Rainbow Dash is going to get eaten, or shot, or die in some fashion alone somewhere. Your summer days will never end, and you’re incredibly fortunate in that. It’s not as though our lives are completely free of peril, but I know you didn’t mean to patronise, and I take your point. I can’t imagine how hard it must be. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to face down Grogar himself, even in a weakened state. “So, you write something in that book,” Cinder said, “and then, by magic, the words appear on a page in a different book in a different world, the world that you come from, and then someone in that world can write in their book, and the words will appear on your page?” “Yes,” Sunset said, “it’s just like texting on a scroll, really.” “Except that it’s not a scroll,” Cinder pointed out. “It’s a magic book.” “Obviously,” Sunset replied, “but that doesn’t mean you have to make it sound weird. This is both perfectly normal and much cooler than a scroll.” Cinder was sitting across the fire from Sunset, in the centre of their makeshift camp. Ruby was asleep, her red cloak draped over her body like a blanket, while her father kept watch from a discreet distance. Cardin was on watch against attack from without, while the rest of their party was scattered round about. Cinder licked her lips. The firelight danced upon her face, throwing flickering shadows onto her features. The flames were reflected in her amber eyes. “So, is this a spell that only you can perform?” “No, the spell was cast on the book,” Sunset said. She smiled. “Do you want to try it?” Cinder’s eyes widened. “You mean… write to your friend in another world?” “To Princess Twilight, yes.” “Princess Twilight,” Cinder repeated. “You do like to keep exalted company, don’t you?” Sunset didn’t dignify that with a response. “Do you want to speak to her or not?” Cinder hesitated, silent, but clearly tempted. She leaned forwards and reached out with both hands only to pull them back in. “Are you sure?” Sunset nodded. “Twilight… Princess Twilight, is very wise. Her words are often a great comfort to me.” “And now we are at a point where we could all use a little comfort,” Cinder muttered. She got up and walked around the fire. The flames danced upon her scarlet dress as she sat down next to Sunset, who shifted the book over onto Cinder’s lap. “Do you want me to go?” Sunset asked. “No,” Cinder said, glancing up from the page of the book and at Sunset. “It’s fine. You can stay.” “Maybe I can,” Sunset murmured. “But… that doesn’t mean that I should. Call me when you’re finished.” “Of course,” Cinder said, her voice barely louder than a whisper. “Thank you,” she added, although whether she was thanking Sunset for the book or for leaving her be was not quite clear. Sunset didn’t stick around to find out. She got up from her seat and walked away, leaving Cinder to her thoughts… and to Twilight. Cinder picked up the pen in one hand, twirling it lightly between her fingers. Her look was pensive. What ought she to say? What could she say, to this creature from another world, this foreign princess, this magical being? What business had someone like her, one as stained and soiled as Cinder Fall, to speak with the princess of a magical land? Yet I cannot give Sunset back the book and tell her I lacked the courage to write in it. Eventually, she began to write, the pen scratching across the page in her hand. My name is Cinder Fall. I understand that I’m addressing Princess Twilight Sparkle. Yes, I’m Twilight. Princess Twilight, but you can just call me Twilight. Hello, Cinder; I’ve heard a lot about you. Cinder sighed. Much of it unflattering, I’m sure, but equally certain that all of it, especially the unflattering parts, were well deserved at the time. We needn’t go over all that. The past is behind you now; you’ve changed, and the future lies ahead. Is that all that you have to say? My past is a tale of wrath and vengeance, and you can so easily dismiss it by saying that I’ve changed? I am washed clean with you, and all my offences have vanished into the past? In my world, we believe in the power of forgiveness. It will always be offered to those who are truly penitent. Is that why Sunset was able to forgive me so easily? No offence, but that sounds like the sort of question you could ask Sunset yourself. Cinder snorted. I may ask, in my own time. So, you are Twilight Sparkle? I am, yes. Then it is true that on your world there are versions of each of us: a Twilight Sparkle, a Rainbow Dash, a Ruby Rose? Yes. Although I’m sorry, but I don’t know of any Cinder Fall living in Equestria. I wouldn’t go by that name in your world, or rather, I should say that the other me would not go by that name, or at least I hope that I would not. Cinder Fall is a name I gave myself after much hardship, a name I took to steel myself to do terrible things. It was not the name my parents gave me, and I hope that it would not be the name under which my alternate lives. For I have heard that yours is a world very unlike our own, a world of peace and prosperity where all dwell in happiness. I think that Sunset might have oversold it just a little bit. Equestria is not without its problems. We ponies are not perfect; in fact, we’re very far from flawless, we all – and I do mean all – struggle with our flaws, our instincts towards pride, anger, envy. But, from what I’ve been told about the world that you live in, I suppose it’s fair to say that ours is a more peaceful world than yours. Sunset and I were just talking about the way that you live constantly with the threat of death in ways that I couldn’t imagine. That is a function of our choices, not of our world. There was a time when I lived a carefree life, and the threat of death seemed very far away. It wasn’t until my mother died that what I suppose you might call the reality of our world set in for me. May I ask you something? Can I stop you even if I wished to do so? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Why have you kept the name Cinder Fall? Cinder paused, the pen hovering over the page. She pursed her lips. When she began to write again, her penmanship was slow and hesitant. What would I call myself if not Cinder Fall? Do you really want to retain a name born out of bitterness and anger and a desire to harm others? It is a name born in ill-omened circumstances, but the fact remains that I have no other. How about the name your parents gave you? Cinder shook her head, even as she wrote. That naïve little girl died a long time ago. There was a pause before Twilight wrote back. You speak about yourself as though you were at fault. I was a fool. You don’t need to blame yourself for being a child, for being innocent. Why not? Because it’s not your fault that misfortune befell your family. You were the victim of what happened to you; you can’t hold yourself at fault for it. Then I should blame the stepsisters I murdered? For their part in what happened to you, yes; you can blame them for their own actions and admit that they didn’t deserve to die by your hand for it. Perhaps. Either way, I cannot go back. I cannot simply become Ashley once again. That little girl, who believed that her mother would always come home and that the strong arms of her father would shelter her from the storm, that girl died many years ago. You may say that it wasn’t her fault, that there was nothing wrong with her naïve delusions I daresay that you would call many of the assumptions under which we ponies live our lives naïve delusions, but that doesn’t make them wrong or stupid or at fault for doing so. But that doesn’t change the fact that she is gone. I can’t simply become who I was. For good or ill, I have been transformed by my experiences. That doesn’t mean that you have to cling on to them. I’m afraid that so long as you cling on to the name of Cinder Fall and all it implies, you won’t be able to move forward. And what should I move forward to? I have nothing. Nothing but Sunset’s friendship. A new hand appeared on the page, a different penmanship etching the words; where Princess Twilight's writing was smooth and flowing, this new author wrote in tightly controlled words squeezed into as little space as possible. I'm sure that seems to be the case now, and I think I can understand why it might seem to be the case, but that doesn't make it true. Or at least it doesn't have to remain so. Cinder raised one curious eyebrow. And to whom am I, for want of a better word, speaking now? Starlight Glimmer, Princess Twilight's personal student. Someone with more in common with you than either of us might be entirely comfortable admitting anywhere but in a book where we can't see the person on the other side. Cinder smirked. Indeed? We are alike? Forgive me for doubting that I have very much in common with anyone in your magical paradise. Paradise? Is that what Sunset's told you? I suppose it's true what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder. You mean it's not true? I didn't think so. Or perhaps it's just that I didn't fit in or never found anywhere I could fit in. That was why I wanted to tear it down and rebuild it in a way that had a place for me in it. I see what you're getting at, but I'm sure you didn't kill anyone in pursuit of your ambitions. I did cause the annihilation of all life in an alternate timeline. Cinder stared at the page for a moment. I don't know whether to be impressed or horrified. Horrified is probably the better option. I know I was. I am. But anyway, this is all getting off the point. When Twilight and her friends offered me their friendship, I didn't think that the circle of ponies who trusted me would ever get any larger. I couldn't imagine that anyone else would ever want to reach out to me. When I had the chance to reunite with an old childhood friend of mine, I was terrified of what he'd say if he found out what I really was. But he accepted me for who I'd become since then, and I made a new best friend in Trixie. I suppose what I'm trying to say is, don't give up too soon. Even if you feel as though you deserve to be alone? Especially then. If there's one thing that Twilight has taught me already, it's that good things will happen if you let them. Everyone has a path, Cinder. Everyone has a gift they can share with the world. You simply haven’t found yours yet. What is that you want to do? Do you even want to be a huntress? What does it matter whether I want this or not? I have no skill but dealing death, and I am chained to Vale and its service in any case. Obligations aside, I don’t believe that you have no other skills. There must be something that you enjoy. Your life cannot be so devoid of meaning. Cinder hesitated, her cheeks reddening ever so slightly. I do enjoy sewing clothes. Dresses, as embarrassing as it is. Embarrassing? Why would you think it was embarrassing? My friend Rarity would throw a fit if she could see this. It’s rather pointless, don’t you think? Some ponies might say the same thing about kites, but it doesn’t mean I have to pay them any notice. Does making dresses bring you joy? It always brought me peace, although I haven’t had the chance to practice much recently. Then that’s the only thing that matters. You don’t have to devote your life to it just yet, but at least try and find some way to practice it somehow soon. That is much easier said than done in our current circumstances. But I will try. It might even be an amusing distraction. Thank you, Princess Twilight; this has been much more helpful than I expected. You don’t need to call me princess, but I’m glad you got something out of our little chat. “Sunset,” Cinder called, as she turned the page. “I’m done.” Sunset returned almost immediately, emerging from out of the dark to pass into the light cast by their flickering fire. “Did it help?” Cinder passed Sunset back the book as the latter sat down. “It was… interesting. We discussed sewing.” Sunset smiled. “You don’t have to tell me anything; there’s no need to make something up.” “I’m not,” Cinder replied. “It’s… an old hobby of mine. I mentioned it to the princess and her new student.” Sunset’s eyebrows rose “You never told me that you liked to sew.” “Of course I didn’t tell you that.” “I don’t see what’s ‘of course’ about it,” Sunset retorted. “Yes, you do,” Cinder insisted. “It isn’t the sort of thing that people like us engage in.” “No,” Sunset allowed. “But it is the kind of thing that better people do.” Cinder snorted. “You mean your over-dramatic Atlesian friend?” “Rarity is more of a friend of a friend,” Sunset murmured. “I was actually thinking of Ruby.” Cinder glanced towards the sleeping girl in the red cloak. “Ruby can sew?” “She sure can,” Taiyang said as he took a few steps forward to join them. “I’m not sure how she’s able to do it so well, because the best that either her sister or I can do is darn up rents and tears. Her mother… well, you know. I think maybe it was because of her mother that she started to learn, but she pretty much taught herself. And she got pretty good at it too.” Cinder frowned. “Did she make that outfit?” “We don’t have a lot of high-end clothing stores on Patch,” Taiyang reminded her. “She made the cape, too.” Cinder stared down at the sleeping Ruby. “That’s impressive. Very impressive. I made my own dress for the Beacon Dance, but I didn’t make this, and I don’t think I could even if I wanted to. Very impressive.” She glanced down at the ground, and her gaze flickered to the fire that warmed them all before she said, “She’s a very fortunate girl.” “'Fortunate'?” Taiyang repeated. “She lost her mother, and later she lost her sister, too.” “But for several years in between, she had a sister,” Cinder countered. “And a father, too.” “For whatever I was worth,” Taiyang muttered. “Trust me, Mister Xiao Long, the simple fact of having a father… it will have made all the difference in the world,” Cinder said. Her voice dropped, so low that Taiyang probably couldn’t hear her, although Sunset could with her four ears. “I mean, she even sews. It’s like looking at a… never mind.” She raised her volume once again. “Mister Xiao Long, may I ask you a question?” Taiyang shrugged. “Sure?” “Why did you let your wife go back out into the field as a huntress?” Cinder asked. “Why did you let her risk her life, knowing that she had a child who-” “Two,” Taiyang said, quietly but firmly. “Hmm?” Cinder murmured. “Summer had two kids,” Taiyang informed her. “And I don’t see what business it is of yours.” “Because I never got to ask this of my own father,” Cinder explained. “He died before I was old enough to understand.” Taiyang cringed a little. “Your mother was a huntress?” “An Atlesian combat pilot,” Cinder corrected him. “Based out of Argus.” “Ah,” Taiyang said. “Well, I can’t speak for your father, but I never had a choice in the matter. I didn’t ‘let’ Summer do anything. She made her own choices, including the choice that took her away from her daughters.” “Why?” Cinder repeated. “Didn’t she love them?” “Summer loved Ruby and Yang very much,” Taiyang declared. “But not enough to live for them,” Cinder said. “Some things are more important, and Summer understood that,” Taiyang replied. “Summer understood that some things are worth fighting for, and that doesn’t change just because you have more to live for then you did before. Summer always fought as hard as she could, and I know that, however she died, she fought to her last breath to try and get home to Ruby and Yang again, but… it wasn’t enough. Sometimes, that’s just how it is. I’m sure that your mom fought like hell to get back to you as well… the fact that she got unlucky, that her number came up, doesn’t mean that she didn’t love you, and the fact that your father didn’t… what? Throw a fit until your mother quit her job? Is that what he was supposed to do? Is that what I was supposed to do?” “What are we supposed to do?” Cinder demanded. “Just fight until we die because some things are worth fighting for?” “Only you can make that choice,” Taiyang told her. “Not everyone can be… not everyone makes the choice that Summer did, or your mother. It’s not a choice for everyone. But it’s not a choice to be ashamed of, either.” “No,” Cinder murmured. “I suppose it isn’t.” She stood up. “Excuse me, I… I’d like to be alone for a moment.” “Sure,” Sunset said. “You know where to find me.” Cinder looked down at her, a smile passing quickly across her face for a moment before it disappeared. She turned away, and walked into the darkness. Sunset watched Cinder go, at least for a little while, before turning her attention back to the journal. Sorry, Twilight, I won’t keep you for much longer. It’s fine. At this time of night, it’s nice to have someone to talk to. This castle is so large, there are times when it feels so big and empty, and my friends seem further away than when I lived in the library. I don’t know if any of that is actually true, but I’ll thank you for pretending that it is. I’m not in the habit of lying to you, or anyone else for that matter. Fair enough. So, Twilight, do you know anything about a creature called Unicron? Unicron? Not off the top of my head, but I could do some research into it. Why? That thing that Grogar had with him, it was imbued with life by something that Grogar called the Blood of Unicron. It brought the dead to life, it turned Emerald into some kind of monstrosity. Could it be another monster that was exiled from Equestria to Remnant, like the Sirens and Grogar? Unicron is the laziest imaginable anagram of unicorn, so it’s possible, although what unicorn would name themselves ‘unicorn’ misspelled, and why would Grogar call them that? Because he drained their blood and used it to create monsters? He obviously didn’t really care about whoever it was. Although there’s also the question of these giant suits of armour to consider. I’m afraid I don’t know anything about that, either. No, but you agree it’s bizarre, right? It’s certainly a twist in the tale. As if we didn’t have enough to worry about. So perhaps you should put Grogar out of your mind for now. What’s your next move? Sunset didn’t reply at once, because the truth was that she didn’t know the answer. It was only the night after they had passed through the Goat’s Cleft, and since then, they had made very little progress eastwards, and that seemed to be largely because Sami wasn’t entirely sure on where they ought to head next. Or she was sure, but was stalling for reasons as yet unknown to Sunset. She wouldn’t put it past the caribou faunus, even if she couldn’t guess her motives for doing so. And in the meantime, while she did whatever she was doing for whatever reasons made sense to her, they languished in the eastern wilds beyond the mountains, dilly-dallying while Professor Ozpin waited for them somewhere out there. I’m not quite sure yet. It’s something I need to have a word with Cardin about. And Sami. I should probably leave you to it, then. And I’ll let you get back to your life. Thanks for letting me unload on you. “Sunset?” Sunset looked up, to see Ruby sitting up, her red cape sloughing off her body as she rubbed at her eyes. Sunset smiled. “Hey, Ruby. How are you doing?” “I’m okay,” Ruby said, although she didn’t sound entirely okay. “Are you writing to Twilight?” Sunset nodded. “Yeah, I am. Do you want to say something to her?” Ruby nodded quickly. “Sure, if that’s okay.” “Twilight says that she has time, and she chastised me for not taking her word already, so I’m sure it will be,” Sunset said. “Come on, she’ll let you know if she has to go.” Ruby stood up and fastened her crimson cape around her neck as she walked briskly across to Sunset. She sat down on the log that Sunset was sat on, leaning her body against Sunset’s, pressing herself against her partner. Her expression was almost blank as Sunset passed her the book. Hey, Twilight, it's Ruby here. Good evening, Ruby; how are you doing tonight? I was sleeping, but I had a bad dream. I’m sorry to hear that. About your sister? Yes. Has Sunset told you about Grogar and the tunnels? Yes, she has. There was a moment when the monsters had me cornered. I was separated from Cinder, from everybody. And there were so many creatures all around me, and I got knocked out. Ruby paused. Somebody saved me, and at the time, I was pretty sure it was Yang, but now, I just don’t know if I was kidding myself or not. Twilight did not reply immediately. Sunset could only imagine how she must be struggling to come up with anything to say. As she put one arm around Ruby, Sunset felt much the same way. I don’t know what to say to you, Ruby, although I wish I did. I suppose the only thing that I can say is that I’m here if you need to talk. I know, and I’m glad. Twilight, do you remember when we talked before, and you told me that you’d been travelling through time? Again, Twilight paused before replying, which gave Sunset a chance to interject. “Time travel? You’re talking about actual time travel?” “That’s what Twilight told me,” Ruby said. I’d forgotten that I’d mentioned that to you, but yes, that happened. “Ruby, can I have that back for a second?” Sunset asked. “Uh, sure,” Ruby replied, handing the journal back to Sunset. Sunset immediately began to scribble furiously. Hey, Twilight, it’s Sunset again. Time travel more than seven days into the past isn’t possible, or at least, that’s what I was always taught. And even then, you shouldn’t be able to sustain it for more than a brief period. That is the conventional wisdom, correct. That’s what I certainly believed. However, it turns out that Starswirl the Bearded had a time travel spell that enabled travel through much greater periods of time, and for extended durations also. Starlight Glimmer, a misguided unicorn, attempted to use this spell to go back in time and stop my friends and I from gaining our cutie marks, while I also used the spell to stop her and in so doing save Equestria. Sunset stared down at the page. Equestria was doomed without you and your friends getting your cutie marks? Not to sound conceited about it, but apparently, yes. I suppose we are the Elements of Harmony. Or at least we were. Fortunately, Starlight Glimmer eventually came to see the error of her ways, and now she’s my student. Just like you and Cinder. Hopefully she’s dealing with everything better than Cinder is, Sunset thought. That makes sense, I suppose. I’m going to hand you back to Ruby, now. Ruby seized both book and pen with alacrity. Hey Twilight, it’s me again. I mean, it’s Ruby. Anyway, I wanted to ask, this time travel, this spell that you and Sunset were just talking about, is it something that you could teach to Sunset? “You want me to travel through time?” Sunset asked, as the words You want Sunset to travel through time? appeared on the page. “Well, yeah, if it’s possible,” Ruby said, and as she spoke, she wrote, even if that meant that she spoke a little more slowly than normal. “Just think about it! You could go back and save Yang, or you could go back even further and not cause the Breach, and everything would be great! Yang would still be here, the Vytal Festival would have gone off without a hitch, we’d still be Team Sapphire, and you wouldn’t be in trouble with the law.” “You don’t know that everything would have turned out rosy,” Sunset reminded her. “I mean… what if I hadn’t done what I did down in that tunnel and we’d all died down there? Just look at what Twilight’s writing.” Ruby, I can understand that the way things have turned out hasn’t been easy for you, but there are grave dangers in meddling with the past. As tempting as it is to assume that one change will make everything turn out better, that doesn’t mean that it will work out that way. When Starlight Glimmer set out to change the past, she didn’t imagine that she would create timelines where evil triumphed, Equestria fell into darkness, or all life on our world was wiped out, but that’s exactly what she did. But doesn’t the fact that you’re still here prove that it doesn’t really matter? Yes, she created a timeline where everyone died, but you were just able to fix it with more time travel, weren’t you? Yes, but only by restoring the status quo before the time travel started. Which was a choice that you made; you could have left things altered, and maybe if things had changed for the better, you would have. It sounds like Starlight Glimmer wanted to change things for the worse and succeeded better than she thought she would. But we want to change things for the better, so we should succeed at that too, right? I think you’re seriously underestimating the scale of what you’re proposing. You’re talking about months’ worth of events; there is no way that you can predict all the variables that might result from meddling in the past. Yang’s dead. Professor Ozpin’s dead. The CCT is down, and the world is falling apart. Jaune and Pyrrha are so far away. Salem has one of the four relics. What could we possibly do that could make things worse than they are right now? More to the point, if we do end up making things worse, then we can just take a do over until we make things better. Please, Twilight, if Sunset were willing to go through with this, would you teach her the time travel spell? Is Sunset willing to go through with this? Ruby looked at her. “Sunset?” she asked, in a voice that was small and pleading. Sunset stared into Ruby’s eyes, those silver eyes that glimmered with the light of hope freshly kindled. She knew that if she refused, if she put the possible risks ahead of the possible reward, then she would snap the thread of whatever relationship still existed between her and Ruby. Ruby had loved Sunset almost like a second sister, practically from the moment they had come into one another’s lives. She had been the first person to open her heart to Sunset Shimmer, and the fact that she opened that heart so effortlessly did not diminish the preciousness of that gift. And in return, Sunset had betrayed her and abused her trust, or so it must seem to Ruby, although that had never been Sunset’s intent. She couldn’t refuse to set right her wrongs and expect Ruby to understand or to forgive her. And even putting that aside… now that Ruby had raised the notion, Sunset found herself drawn to the idea. Yes, there was some risk – although that risk was mitigated by the fact that you could apparently keep trying until you were satisfied with the end result – but the prize: her honour restored, her sins washed away, lives saved. What if it was possible to make everything better? What if she could fix her mistakes with the benefit of hindsight? She took the pen from Ruby and wrote in the book. Hi, Twilight, it’s Sunset; if it is possible to do this, then I will do it. Are you sure? I’m not sure I could live with myself if I didn’t try. Unfortunately, I’m not as sure as you two, and while I don’t think that meddling in the past of your world would affect Equestria, I would still bear a moral responsibility if I gave you this spell. I’m sorry, but I need to give this more thought. It’s not as if we can force you. But please consider, don’t just go away and wait until you can say no. While I’ve never been in your situation, I imagine that if I were, I would be willing to take any chance to make things right. I will think about it, but I do need to think. Fine. Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle. Goodnight, Twilight! Goodnight, Sunset. Goodnight, Ruby. Sunset shut the journal. A smile of soft contentment crossed Ruby’s face. “Wouldn’t it be great, Sunset? Just a spell, and then we could be back at Beacon, and we’d have our team again, and you wouldn’t be in any trouble, and Yang would be across the hall… wouldn’t that be perfect?” Sunset found herself smiling too, just to imagine it. “It would be pretty awesome,” she agreed. She could stop herself from making her mistakes and maybe warn herself about what was to come so that they could stop Tempest Shadow, and Bon Bon too. Although… Sunset glanced at Cinder, who stood firing glass arrows into a nearby tree. What would happen to Cinder if they changed the past? Would Sunset come back and find that Cinder was dead? Or still a servant of Salem? Could she condemn Cinder to save Yang? How about to save Yang and Amber and Professor Ozpin and all the rest? Did she have that right? No. No, she did not. But at the same time, she couldn’t turn around and refuse to do it out of concern that something might happen to Cinder if she did. Perhaps Cinder could come with her into the past and thus be protected from the effects of the time travel? She would have to ask Twilight how the spell actually worked, if Twilight came back and decided that she was willing to teach it to Sunset. She was fine with teaching me dark magic, but time travel is where she draws the line. Actually, she wasn’t really happy about the dark magic. I suppose I’ve been pushing closer and closer to the line for some time now. “In the meantime,” Sunset finally continued, “we need to keep moving eastward, in case Twilight says no, or… or the changes that we can make are not as extensive as we might like.” Ruby nodded. “I get it, especially the first one. She seems kind of worried, doesn’t she?” “She has experience in this that we lack,” Sunset conceded. Perhaps we’re the ones who ought to be more worried. “Which means-” “Someone’s coming!” Cardin shouted. “Grimm!” They snatched up their weapons, everyone gaining their feet and readying themselves to fight. Ruby held Crescent Rose in its carbine configuration, the stubby red weapon pressed against her shoulder. Sunset cocked the hammer on Sol Invictus as she walked warily towards the edge of the camp. Someone screamed out in the darkness. “Yona need help!” Sunset cast a night vision spell on her eyes. The world turned green, or at least coloured with a green tint, and she could see a faunus girl running towards the light of their fire, pursued by a trio of beowolves. “Get down!” Sunset roared, and the girl dropped to the ground, clearing Sunset’s field of fire. Sol Invictus barked three times, and three beowolves fell, their heads blown clean off. The girl did not get up. “Ruby, Cardin, come with me,” Sunset said, but as it happened, she was joined by the entire party as they walked – cautiously, for there was no way to be sure that there weren’t more grimm lurking about – towards the place where the girl had fallen. They found her lying on the ground, sobbing into her arms as she lay in the dirt, quivering with fear. “Hey,” Ruby said as she put Crescent Rose away and knelt down on the ground next to the frightened girl. “It’s okay. They’re all gone now. Sunset took care of them.” The girl shivered. “Yona scared.” “I know,” Ruby said, placing a hand upon the girl’s shoulder. “I know that the grimm can be scary, but that’s why we’re here: to take care of the monsters so that people like you don’t have to be scared anymore.” The girl looked up at Ruby. She was a yak faunus, broadly built with light brown skin and long, thick chocolate brown hair worn in braids. Her eyes were a dark green, like pine needles. A pair of horns emerged from out of her thick head of hair. She was dressed in comfortably fitting robes of earthy brown, but with a vivid turquoise poncho tied around her neck and hanging down her back. “Yona safe?” Ruby nodded. “You’re safe with us, Yona. Is that your name?” Yona nodded. “Yona is Yona, of the Frost Mountain Clan.” “It’s nice to meet you, Yona,” Ruby said. “I’m Ruby Rose, and this is my friend Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset waved. “Evening. Would you mind telling us what a girl your age is doing out here all by yourself?” This Yona looked to be… it was hard to say exactly, but Sunset would have put her age about thirteen, maybe. Definitely younger than Ruby had been when she and Sunset first met. “Yona wasn’t all alone,” Yona replied, sniffing as she sat up. “Yona was out with forage group when monsters attack. Yona run… Yona hear…” Ruby pulled her into an embrace. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it. You don’t even have to think about it if you don’t want to. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. You said you were part of a foraging party; is your village nearby?” “Frost Mountain Clan not have village,” Yona said. “Frost Mountain Clan move all over the place, but right now have camp near here. Kind of near here. But what about Ruby and Sunset and others, what clan? What are new friends doing out here?” “We’re travellers, on a journey east,” Sunset explained, without really explaining anything. “But first, we’ll make sure to get you home to your people,” Ruby said. “Seriously?” Sami muttered from the back of the group. “I thought we were on a mission.” Sunset turned towards her, and in fact walked a little closer towards her. “Please tell me that I didn’t hear you suggest leaving a kid alone in the wilderness?” “Going to the Frost Mountain camp is a mistake,” Sami declared. “Why?” Sunset demanded. “They might be able to give us more recent directions to a port.” “Things don’t change that quickly around here,” Sami replied. Sunset’s eyes narrowed. “What’s really going on?” “What do you mean?” “I mean what’s your real problem?” Sunset asked. “Heading to the camp might be a short detour, but we can resupply, get some rest.” “Sounds good to me,” Jack said. “And Sunset’s right, we can’t just abandon a child to her fate,” declared Cardin. Sami scowled. “I’m… I’m Fall Forest Clan, okay? We didn’t exactly… get along with our fellow tribes.” “Considering what I’ve found out about your people, I can understand why,” Sunset muttered, “but you’re not one of them anymore; you’re a servant of the Kingdom of Vale who left her tribe behind, and Yona’s people will be smart enough to understand that.” “They can’t even master personal pronouns, and you think they’re smart enough to get nuance?” Sami replied. “We’re going,” Sunset said. “It’s the right thing to do, and we’re doing it.” To put their own goals on hold for the sake of those in need, that was what it meant to be a huntress.